Stamping machine



Oct'. 24-, 1961 0 H. A. SCHUBERT ETAL 3,005,405 Y STAMPING MACHINE Filed March 17, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 f 5 @L' .1. 0 15 $4 J J Get. 24-, 1961 H. A. SCHUBERT ET AL 3,005,405

STAMPING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 17, 1960 I INVENTORS.

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United States Patent p O 3,005,405 STAB WING MAQHINE Herman A. Schubert, Wiimette, and Donald H. Spies, Glenview, 11L; said Spies assignor to said Schubert Filed Mar. 17, 1960, Ser. No. 15,743 9 Claims. (Cl. 101-41) The present invention relates to a stamping machine for applying desired indicia to articles such as cans, cartons, and other objects or containers or the like.

Stamping machines have innumerable applications in industry. Just by way of illustration, one use of such machines is in the code dating of packages of perishable products. In this application, the date when the perishable product was packaged or the processing otherwise completed is stamped on the containers for the product utilizing a code by which the date is known to the manufacturer or his representatives, but not to the general purchasers. Another example of the use of such stamping machines would be the application of the indicia giving the electrical characteristics of electrical or electronic components to those components. Thus, with a miniature snap action switch of the type sometimes designated as a Microswitch the case of the switch will bear indicia giving the manufacturers brand, e.g. Microswitch, as well as the voltage and amperage rating of the switch.

The present invention is concerned with a stamping machine which is small, compact, dependable and particularly suited for use in conjunction with the wide varieties of automatic equipment handling objects on which indicia are to be stamped. A stamping device of this type of necessity must produce a stamping actuation in response to a wide variety of input signals. With one machine it may be desirable to trigger the stamping machine by an electric eye or other electronic component. In another machine it may be preferable to trigger the stamping machine with a switch controlled by a cam, lever or other mechanical part. Because of the necessity for adaptability to numerous machines, it is of the utmost importance that the stamping machine respond to a Wide variety of variously timed input signals.

With some types of stamping machines, unless the input signal is relatively exact as to duration, etc., the machine either may fail to stamp or may stamp a plurality of times. Thus, with too short an input signal the machine may not be triggered, while with too long a signal it may be triggered repeatedly before the input signal is discontinued. Repeated stampings are just as undesirable as no stamping at all, for even the slightest movement of the object between the two or repeated stampings will produce offset and blurred impressions making it diflicult to read the stamped indicia.

One of the objects of our invention is to provide a stamping machine that will produce one stamp for each input signal even though the input signal may be of much greater duration than is the length of the stamping cycle. Thus, the apparatus upon which the stamping machine is to be installed need not have critical components to provide an input signal of only a particular duration as related to the time of the stamping cycle. This permits a relatively universal application of the stamping machine to a wide variety of assemblies with little or no special timing devices added to the appaartus to comply with the needs of the stamping machine.

We have devised a stamping machine in which a complete stamping cycle results from a single rotation of one of the shafts of the power means. this we have a clutch that will cause the rotation of that shaft for one revolution, nomattcr what is the length of the input signal to the stamping machine. This clutch is tremely small for compact machinery involving small loads, or large for-big machines with substantial loads. It is simple and is positive in operation to produce a one revolution operation whether or not there be slippage in the clutch itself. Where exact positioning is needed of the shaft operated by the clutch, both at the start and at the end of an input signal, this can be obtained with a high degree of accuracy through the use of our invention.

Further objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational View of one side of an embodiment of our invention with the side cover plate removed;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged, partial, elevational view of the opposite side from that of FIGURE 1, with the cover plate for the gear case removed to illustrate the clutch structure therein;

FIGURE 3 is a partial view corresponding to FIGURE 2, with an alternative positioning of the parts such as occurs during the operation of the device;

FIGURE 4 is an end view as seen along line 4-4 of FIGURE 1 with portions of the case broken away;

FIGURE 5 is a section as viewed at line 55 of FIG- URE 1; and

FIGURE 6 is an isometric view of the clutch operating fingers.

The illustrated embodiment comprises a case or frame generally 10 provided with openings 11 through which bolts may be placed to affix the stamping machine in the apparatus in which it is to be used. Cover plates 12secured in place by screws 13 enclose the operating mechanism. In one end of the case 10 is a window 14 through which the stamping operation is performed.

The stamps 16 which apply the desired indicia to the object to be stamped are mounted on a stamping head 17. Suitable means (not shown) are provided to releasably affix stamps 16 in head 17 so that they may be changed as desired. Extending rearwardly from head 17 at one side thereof, is an arm 18 having a slot 19 therein. A roller 20 suitably journaled on a stub shaft 21 rides in slot 19.

Head 17 is mounted on a yoke 23 having a pair of arms 24- and 25. As best seen in FIGURE 1, arm 25 is generally triangular in shape, while arm 24 is elongated with parallel sides. A pin 26- is secured to the extending end of arm 24 and is journaled in a bearing 27 in arm 18 of stamp head 17. Similarly, a pin 28 is secured to arm 25 and is journaled in a bearing 29 in boss 30 forming a part of stamp head 17. At the opposite end of arms 24 and 25 are a pair of bearings 31 in which are journaled pins 32 which pins are secured to frame 10.

In conjunction with of such a nature that itmight be constructed both ex- Stamp head 17 moves between two positions. At one of the positions, stamps 16 are pressed against an inking pad 35 in one end of an ink reservoir 36. Reservoir 36 has a threaded cap 37 to permit it to be refilled with ink. In the alternate position, stamps 16 and head 17 extend outwardly through window 14 slightly farther than the position illustrated in dotted lines (16' and 17 in FIG- URE 1.

Attached to and projecting from a side of arm 25 is a stub shaft 39. About shaft 39 is a bearing 40. Bearing 40 is received in a slot 41 in link 42. The other end of link 42 has a bearing 43 that is journaled on a stub shaft 44. Shaft 44 is secured to and projects from one end of an actuating lever 45. Each of shafts 39 and 44 has -a circumferential slot adjacent the outstanding end thereof within which slots are received the hooked ends of a spring 46. Spring 46 biases shaft 39 away from shaft 44, normally holding shaft 39 and bearing 40 in the position illustrated in 1 with respect to slot 41.

The mounting of bearing 40 in slot 41 and the urging of spring 46 acts as a shock absorber to prevent the shock of stamps 16, as they strike the object to be stamped, from being. transmitted to lever 45 and the power means hereinafter described which operate lever 45.

The other end of lever 45 has a bearing 48 which is journaled on a stub shaft 49 projecting from case 10. An ring .50 engaged in a circumferential slot about shaft 49' holds bearing 48 and lever 45 in place on shaft 49. Intermediate the ends of lever45 is a cam slot 51 which receives a cam wheel52 suitably journaled on pin 53. Pin 53 is eccentrically mounted'on a rotary member 54. A set screw 55 attaches member 54 to a shaft 56.

Within frame It? is a gear case 59 having-a cover plate 60.. In FIGURES 2 and 3 this cover plate has been removed to illustrate the clutch, etc., structure.

Shaft 56 extends through one side of gear case 59 with .a bearing 61 and an oil seal 62 being provided in the opening in the wall of gear case 59 through which shaft 56 extends. A similar bearing 61 is received in cover plate 68 at the other end of shaft 56. At one side of gear case 59 a spacer 63 is secured to shaft 56 by a pin 64; At the opposite side of, gear case 59 a clutch spring mounting wheel 65 is attached to shaft 56 by a set screw 66.

Abutting one side of a wheel 65 is a thrust bearing 69. The other side of thrust bearing 69 bears against an annular shoulder 78 forming a part of gear 71. Gear 71 and shoulder 70 are made of brass and are journaled on shaft 56. An annular ring 72 having a ridge 73 thereabout is attached to shoulder 70 of gear 71. This attachment may be a tight press-fit or by other suitablemeans.

Extending about ring 72 between ridge 73 and wheel 65 is a coil spring '74. One end 75 of spring 74 is received in a cylindrical opening in wheel 65. The other end of spring 14 is bent over to form an engaging arm 76.

At one side of case is mounted an electric motor 80. Motor 80 has a drive shaft 81 on which is secured a worm gear 82. Gear 82 engages and drives gear 71.

A pair of fingers 84 and 85 are pivotally attached to a mounting block 86. Block 86 is secured in a suitable recess in the wall of gear case 59. One end of each of fingers 84 and 85 is received in a slot 87 in block 86. The same ends of fingers 84 and 85 also extend through a slot 88 in the cylindrical end' 89' of an armature 90. Cylindrical end 89 is slidably received in a suitable bore in block. 86.

The said one end of finger 84 is pivotally mounted on a pin 92 in block 86. The said one end of the finger 85 is pivotally mounted on a pin 93 in cylindrical end 89 of armature 9! Finger 84 is also pivotally received on pin 93 intermediate the ends of the finger. Intermediate the ends offinger 85 that finger is pivotally mounted on a pin 94- in block 86. Thus as the cylindrical end 89 of armature 98 and the pin 93 are moved in one direction with respect to block 36, say for example to the right from the positionillustrated in FIGURE 3, the extending end 95 of finger 85 will be moved downwardly to the position illustrated in FIGURE 2. At the same time, the extend ing. end 96 of finger 84 will be moved upwardly to the position illustrated in FIGURE 2. Conversely, when armature 98 is moved to the left from the position illustrated in FIGURE 2, the two extending ends 95 and 96 of fingers 85 and 84 respectively, return to the positions illustrated in FIGURE 3.

Armature 98 is moved from the FIGURE 2 position to the FIGURE 3 position by the energizing of a solenoid 99. Armature 98 is returned from the FIGURE 3 position to the FIGURE 2 position by a spring 100 when solenoid 99 is de-energized. A stop 101 within spring 180 contacts a bumper 102 on the inside of solenoid 99 to limit the inward stroke of armature 90;

Alwire 105 is connected to a suitable source of electric power to energize both motor 8tl'and solenoid 99. Solenoid99'is connected in series with a switch 106-by wire 4 107. Switch 106 has actuating member 168 to open and close the contacts thereof. In FIGURE 5 a condenser 189 is illustrated which is used because of the particular type of electric motor employed in the illustrated embodiment.

In the illustrated embodiment when switch 106 is open to de-energize solenoid 99, the fingers 84 and are positioned as illustrated in FIGURE 2. With motor 80 energized, gears 82, and 71 will be rotating but shaft 56 will not be. This is due to the fact that finger 84 has disengaged the friction clutch of which wheel 65, ring '72 and spring 74 are a part. End 96 of finger 84 is contacting arm 76 of spring 74 to enlarge the spring and allow ring '72 to rotate under that spring. At this time stamp head 17 will be positioned as illustrated in FIGURES l and 4.

When the stamping operation is called for, switch 106 is closed by actuating'member 108. This energizes solenoid 99 and moves armature 98 to the position illustrated in FIGURE 3. As a result of this movement, arm 76 of spring 74 is released by end 96 of finger 84 whereupon spring 74 frictionally engages ring 72. With end 75 of spring 74 being engaged with wheel 65 and with the spring of the clutch engaged with ring 72. wheel 65 and shaft 56 rotate in the direction illustrated by the arrow 114 (FIGURES 1 and 3) in response to the corresponding rotation of gear 71. The corresponding rotation of wheel 52 pivots lever 45 to'the left in FIGURE 1. Arms 24 and 25 of yoke 23 rotate clockwise about stub shafts 32 to carry pins 26 and 28 upwardly (in FIGURE 1) above pin 21. Roller 20 in slot 19 guides head 17 straight out ofwindow 14' as illustrated in dotted lines in 17 in FIGURE 1. The objects to be stamped are positioned to be contacted by stamps 16 during this movement.

With the continued rotation of rotary member 54, lever 45 is then pivoted to the right in FIGURE 1 returning the head 17 to the position therein illustrated. As shaft 56 approaches the completion of one revolution, arm 76 of spring 74 will contact either end of finger 85 or end 96 of finger 84 depending upon the energization of solenoid 99 or the de-energization thereof. Assuming that switch 186 is still closed, with solenoid 99 being energized to hold armature 9G inwardly of the solenoid, the fingers 84 and 35 will be positioned as illustrated in FIGURE 3. Thus arm 76 will contact end 95 of finger 85 to expand spring 74 anddisenga ge the clutch. Thereafter when solenoid 99 is de-energized, spring 108 returns fingers 84 and 85 to the position illustrated in FIGURE 2; At the time that this finger movement takes place, arm 76 is released from end 95 of finger 85 and moves only a short distance before it contacts end 96 of finger 34. If solenoid 99 was d e-energized before shaft 56 completed one revolutiomthen arm 76 will by-pass arm 85' to contact arm 84 as illustrated in FIGURE 2. In either event shaft 56 will make no more than one revolution for each closing and opening of the contacts of switch 186.

It is to be noted that spring '74 is positively connected to shaft 56 by reason of end 75 being engaged in the opening in wheel 65, which wheel is attached to shaft 56 by set screw 66. This is important because if there should be any slippage in the clutch between spring 74 and the surface that the spring engages, i.e. ring 72, that slippage will not result in shaft 56 making any less than one revolution. From the foregoing description of the action of the clutch it will be seen that it is the position of arm 76 that determines when the clutch is to be disengaged by contacting either finger 84 or 85. Arm 76 thus will always turn one revolution for each closing and opening of switch 106. Since arm 76 is a part of spring 74, necessarily shaft 56 likewise will always turn one revolution for each closing and opening of switch 106. If slippage does occur between spring 74 and ring 72, the only sheet-thereof willbe to cause shaft 56 to take a little more time to rotate through one revolution to than it would were shaft 56 turned at the same angular speed as is gear 71.

The foregoing description of a specific embodiment is for the purpose of complying with 35 U.S.C. 1 12 and should not be construed as imposing unnecessary limitations upon the appended claims inasmuch as modifications and variations thereof will be apparent to one skilled in the art. For example, the plunger formed by cylindrical end 89 of armature 90 could be moved by pneumatic or mechanical apparatus rather than electrical. The contacts of switch 106 could be a part of a relay, etc., and the term switch as used herein is deemed to apply to devices that will result in the making and breaking of an electrical circuit.

We claim:

1. A stamping device comprising: a frame; a stamping head mounted on said frame for movement between a stamping position and a retracted position; power means on said frame and connected to said head to move said head between said positions, said power means including a driving member, a driven member, and a clutch between said members, said clutch having an actuating arm to engage and disengage the clutch, said arm rotating in a given path when said clutch is engaged; and control means including an actuating member movable to initiate a stamping cycle, and clutch actuating means operatively associated with said clutch and connected to said actuating member to engage said clutch for only one revolution of said driven member for each movement of said actuating member whether that movement extends for a greater period of time than does said cycle or not, said clutch actuating means including a pair of fingers mounted on said frame for movement into and out of said path, said actuating means connecting said fingers to said actuating member to position one of said fingers in said path and the other out of said path and upon said movement of the actuatingmember to move said one finger out of said path and the other finger into said path.

2. A stamping device comprising: a frame; a stamping head mounted on said frame for movement between a stamping position and a retracted position; power means on said frame and connected to said head to move said head between said positions, said power means including a driving member, a driven member, a clutch between said members, said clutch comprising a spring having two ends, one of said ends being attached to said driven member, said spring being constructed and arranged to f-rictionally engage said driving member when the other of said ends is free to rotate said spring in a given direction with said other end describing a given path; and control means including an actuating member movable in initiate a stamping cycle, and clutch actuating means connected to said actuating member, said actuating means including a first clutch finger positioned at a point in said path and moved out of said path in response to said actuating member being moved to initiate a stamping cycle, and a second finger positioned out of said path and movable into a second point in said path, ahead of said first point with respect to said direction of rotation, so long as said first finger is out of said path, whereby said actuating means will engage said clutch for only one revolution of said driven member for each movement of said actuating member whether that movement extends for a greater period of time than does said cycle or not.

3. A stamping device comprising: a frame; a tamping head mounted on said frame for movement between a stamping position and a retracted position; power means on said frame and connected to said head to move said head between said positions, said power means including a driving member, a driven member, a clutch between said members, said clutch comprising a spring having two ends, one of said ends being attached to said driven member, said spring being constructed and arranged to frictionally engage said driving member when the other Q of said ends is free to rotate said spring in a given direction with said other end describing a given path; and control means including an actuating member movable to initiate a stamping cycle, and clutch actuating means connected to said actuating member, said actuating means including a plunger mounted in said frame for reciprocal movement from a first to a second position in response to said actuating member moving to initiate a cycle and thereafter returningto the first position, a first finger pivotally connected to said plunger and pivotally mounted on said frame at one side of said plunger and a second finger pivotally connected to said plunger and pivotally mounted on said frame at the other side of said plunger, said first finger having a portion at a first point in said path when said plunger is in said first position and pivoted out of said path when said plunger moves to said second position, said second finger having a portion at a second point in said path when said plunger is in said second position and pivoted out of said path when said plunger is in said first position, said first point being in said direction from said first point.

4. A stamping device comprising: a frame; a stamping head mounted on said frame for movement between a stamping position and a retracted position; power means on said frame and connected to said head to move said head between said positions, said power means including a driving member, a driven member, a clutch between said members, said clutch comprising a spring having two ends, one of said ends being attached to said driven member, said spring being constructed and arranged to frictionally engage said driving member when the other'of said ends is free to rotate said spring in a given direction with said other end describing a given path; and control means including a normally open switch, a Solenoid connected to said switch to be energized when said switch is closed, said solenoid having an armature and resilient means biasing said armature to a first position, said armature being moved to a second position when said switch is closed, a first finger pivotally mounted on said frame to swing into and out of said path, said finger being connected to said armature to be pivoted into said path when said armature is moved to said second position and pivoted out of said path when said armature is moved to said first position, and a second finger pivotally mounted on said frame to swing into and out of said path, said second finger being connected to said armature to be pivoted into said path when said armature is moved to said first position and to be pivoted out of said path when said armature is moved to said second position, whereby with the closing of said switch said second finger will release said other end of said spring to engage said clutch with said clutch thereafter being disengaged by said other end contacting one or the other of said fingers.

5. A stamping device comprising: a frame; a stamp pad mounted on the frame; a stamp head mounted on the frame for movement between said stamp pad and a stamping position; a lever pivotally mounted on said frame and connected to said stamp head; a shaft rotatably mounted on said frame; an eccentric on said shaft,

said eccentric engaging said lever to move said head between said two positions with each rotation of said shaft; power means including a driving member and a clutch between said shaft and said driving member, said clutch having an actuating arm to engage and disengage the clutch, said am rotating in a given path when said clutch is engaged; and control means including an actuating member movable to initiate a stamping cycle, and clutch actuating means connected to said actuating member to engage said clutch for only one revolution of said driven member for each movement of said actuating member whether that movement extends for a greater period of time than does said cycle or not, said clutch actuating means including a pair of fingers mounted on said frame for movement into and out of said path, said actuating means connecting said fingersto said actuating member to position one of said fingers in said path and the other out of said path and upon said movement of the actuating member to move said one finger out of said path and the other finger into said path.

'6. A stamping device comprising: a frame; a stamp pad mounted on the frame; a stamp head mounted on the frame for movement between said stamp pad and a stamping position; a lever pivotally mounted on said frame and connected to said stamp head; a shaft rotatably mounted on said frame; an eccentric on said shaft, said eccentric engaging said lever to move said head between said two positions with each rotation of said shaft; power means including a driving member and a clutch between said shaft and said driving member, said clutch comprising a spring having two ends, one of said ends being connected to said shaft, said spring being constructed and arranged to frictionally engage said driving member when the other of said ends is free, said other end rotating in a given direction about a given path when said other end is free and said clutch is engaged; and control means including an actuating member movable to initiate a stamping cycle, and clutch actuating means connected to said actuating member, said actuating means including a first clutch finger positioned at a point in said path and moved out of said path in response to said actuating member being moved to initiate a stamping cycle, and a second finger positioned out of said path and movable into a second point in said path ahead, with respect to said direction of rotation, of said first point so long as said first finger is out of said path, whereby said actuating means will engage said clutch for only one revolution of said driven member for each movement of said actuating member whether that movement extends for a greater period of time than does said cycle or not.

7. A clutch mechanism comprising: a frame; a driving member and a driven member rotatably mounted on said frame; a spring having two ends, one of said ends being attached to said driven member, said spring being constructed and arranged to frictionally engage said driving member when the other of said ends is free, said other end rotating in a given direction about a given path when said other end is free and said clutch is engaged; and control means including an actuating member movable to initiate a stamping cycle, and clutch actuating means connected to said actuating member, said actuating means including a first clutch finger positioned at a point in said path and moved out of said path in response to said actuating member being moved to initiate a stamping cycle, and a second finger positioned out of said path and movable into a second point in said path ahead, with respect to said direction of rotation, of said first point so long as said first finger is out of said path, whereby said actuating means will engage said clutch for only one revolution of said driven member for each movement of said actuating member whether that movement extends for a greater period of time than does said cycle or not.

8. A clutch mechanism comprising: a frame; a driving 6 member and a driven member rotatably mounted on said frame; a spring having two ends, one of said ends being attached to said driven member, said spring being constructed' and arranged to frictionaily engage said driving member when the other of said ends is free, said other end rotating in a given direction about a given path when said other end is free and said clutch is engaged; and control means including an actuating member movable to initiate a stamping cycle, and clutch actuating means con nected to said actuating member, said actuating means including a plunger mounted in said frame for reciprocal movement from a first to a second position in response to said actuating member moving to initiate a cycle and thereafter returning to the first position, a first finger pivotally connected to said plunger and pivotally mounted on said frame at one side of said plunger, and a second finger pivotally connected to said plunger and pivotally mounted on said frame at the other side of said plunger, said first finger having a portion at a first point in said path when said plunger is in said first position and pivoted out of said path when said plunger moves to said second position, said second finger having a portion at a second point in said path when said plunger is in said second position and pivoted out of said path when said plunger is in said first position, said first point being in said direction from said first point.

9. A clutch mechanism comprising: a frame; a driving member and a driven member rotatably mounted on said frame; a spring having two ends, one of said ends being attached to said driven member, said spring being constructed and arranged to frictionally engage said driving member when the other of said ends is free, said other end rotating in a given direction about a given path when said other end is free and said clutch is engaged; and control means including a normally open switch, a solenoid connected to said switch to be energized when said switch is closed, said solenoid having an armature and resilient means biasing said armature to a first position, said armature being moved to a second position when said switch is closed, a first finger pivotally mounted on said frame to swing into and out of said path, said finger being connected to said armature to be pivoted into said path when said armature is moved to said second position and pivoted out of said path when said armature is moved to said first position, and a second finger pivotally mounted on said frame to swing into and out of said path, said second finger being connected to said armature to be pivoted into said path when said armature is moved to said first position and to be pivoted out of said path when said armature is moved to said second position, whereby with the closing of said switch said second finger will release said other end of said spring to engage said clutch with said clutch thereafter being disengaged by said other end contacting one or the other of said fingers.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,553,529 Hayden Sept. 15, 1925 1,940,691 Net]? et a1. Dec. 26, 1933 2,298,970 Russell et a1 Oct. 13, 1942 

